Train-controlling mechanism.



J. G. SGHLEE.

TRAIN CONTROLLING MEGHANISM. APPLICATION rum: mm. as. 190a.

Patented Mar. 9, 1909.

JOHN G. SGHLEE', 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO Specification in Letters Patent Patented March 9, 1909.

Application 11106. February- 36, 1805. Serial No. 417,801..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Joan G. SouLnm, o citizen 01* the United States, and residin rat Cincinnati,Hamilton county, State of Onohave. invented certain new and useful Train- Controlliexw Moons; and I do deolame the lollowiug. to he o clear, full, and exact. closeup,- bion of the invention, attention being called to the accompanying drowin with the reference ohm-actors marked t omen, wl'iich mmalso a innt of this s peoifiootion.

The invention relates to means whereby some of the functions which a locomotiveengineov is expected to el'form while in charge of his en ine, may-lie carried out independently of one by devices beyond his control, and operating automatically at vow t-a-in points 0} stations along the treble.

The generalobject of suchmeans is to enable nminlsemxince o1- signal-commonwlion with o train while the same-is on-i'ouin and to eventually control the some inde pendent of any action by the engineer wneu unulfpeutodly arising exigencies vendor sin-h neiessmy.

The means pi'ovided by my invention an able me to stop a: moving train independent of any actionhy the on near. Thus for instonoo when this lat ter 1y mason of neglect, or suddenly arising inability, has failed to sto i :ito certain stal ion, he may he stoppvd and if hecesson' re-oalled. Or in case of oh Slvl'llC-l'iOIll-l. mu" distwrlmnce on the track caused by ouch-lent, wrecks, of whichthe em ginvm' has no knowledge; he may he stopped in time and be'foi'o he reaches those places.

My invention consists of the means and devices und their {uu'ticulor ooustrruction uuei arrange-loom as lieveinal tor dose-ribedand pointed out in the claims and no ilhuu rated in tho zu'oompouyin drawing, in \vhioh:

l igu 1'0 1 .sho-wsin side-elov'etion, with nrl's oi one side of its cob broken out, a oo0- motive equipped as eou'bemplubed by my invention mid us it appears on o truck while approaching: u stutionorv track-device which l'm-iuo also :1 port of my invention, This lot-- llll has not yethowever assumed operative position. Fig. 2, is o view at right angles lo the prvvediug figure it showing the brook in l'lUSS-ak'lllllll, the locomotive from its rear and and the trunk-device ahoTe mentioned orliusted to o iemtive position. Fig. 3, is u top-view of this limok device es ill appears in the preceding View, ortions of the adjooeni brook heiuig also i own. Fig. 4, illustrates a modified most-motion of the trainequipment.

For (he purpose of shopping B twin as eontemplated by my invention, 1 use the airbi ake equipment of the some and I render this equipment oaiemtivo to set the brakes by means locate at certain poinm which may be stationsalong the track and which means are insmuoll controlled and adjusted to act as intended. The instrumenmlities whioh I use comprise o train-equipment and o track-equipment.

The tfiain-equumieut consists substantially of o valve 10 topping: the train-pipe oi the air-broke equipment and operamvely connected with means which oreodaplaedi to be act-ed upon by devices at the ti'swlwquipmono. This train-equipment mmy he eerried by any port of the train, but by prefereuve it is curried on: the locomotive. Aooordiugiv Volvo 10- is located our theengiue- (-oh as shown, whore it connects to that port of the train-pipe 1 1, which puss esi-hrough the ooh and to the usuohengiuoefls valve. The effect of its operation (opening). is the so me as; results from theopening of the reguhm engineer's valve used by the engineer and manipulated by hini for the purpose 0i setting the brakes. This valve 10 15 provided with o short arm 01' lever 12, whiohis operativelv commuted with on elmnont 1.3,. which I roll a heel end which is so supported as to ho uip-nhlo of o reorwei-dly sliding motion and projects normally into the path of the stationary track-device to he described later. [to auiiou and o lei-olive counevtiou to arm 1'. is such that w w coming in contact with, or being retarded hy o stationary ohiect like lzho above mentioned: Brandi-device, it slides rooru'ordly and by this motion. :wts upon min-12 in o manner to-oause this hit tel to 0p.- emte valve 10. is therefore accordingly arranged and preiei'nbly as shown. Heel 13 forms part of or is (-onstitutod to he the llil-lllllltll leer-end of n. rod 14' which is fol-moi so that port of it is outside and ohovo the roof ot the (all amid out of it on tho-inside or llll0\V uoloi. 15-homgprovided in the roof to admin the rod and to clear it. its .ilmm' oud connects to on anglcdvvei' 16, supported iusi'do oi the cob, preferably on the wall of l he 5:! me. .hnothor rod .17 couuxets this lever ['0 volt o-au'ni 1'2.

The operation is olwioue hon heel 13 comes in vontoct with the statio mry nookdevice, it in sensed to moveneai'w -rdly, drag- Th-is operative connect1ou Eing with it rod 14, whereby the an le-lever y means of rod 1? acts upon the va ve-arm. In order to bring this occurrence quickly to the engineers attention, signals, either visible 5 like alight, or audible like a bell, or both, are

provided and operated by a rod 18, also connected to-angle-lever 16 and actuated by it. If the train is electrically equipped, these sigrials may be electrically operated, the first being an electric light and rod 18 is used to switch in the current. Otherwise the opera tion is mechanical as shown, rod 18 connecting to a shade or door 19, of a lamp 20, and operates to uncover the light. Door 19 in turn acts upon a gong or hell 21 below the lamp, the arrangement being such that the door, while opening, strikes against, or releases a spring-actuated bell-hammer, or this bell might be electrically operated by a local batter the door when opening closing a switch. In either event, the operation of the air brakes started by action 11 on heel 13, causes light 20 to flare up an the bell to sound, thus arousing the engineer to act as circumstances may require it. If he has passed a station where he should have sto ped .or gone beyond a point which he should not pass he may return. For action upon heel 13 of the train-equipment, I provide a bar 22 suspended substantially horizontal from an arm 23 bylinks 24. This latter arm pro- 3 jects from an upright rod 25 which is sus-, tained for rotation, bearings for it being formed for the purpose in brackets 26. These brackets project from a post 27 erected in proper position adjacent to the track. The arrangement is such that arm 23 with bar 22 may occupy either one of two extreme positions. They may extend transnwersely with reference to the track so as to artly pro'ect over the same, as shown in igs. 2 an 3, or they may extend parallel to the track as shown in Fig. l, and in dotted lines in Fig. 3, in which latter position they do not act upon the train-equipment. When m position as shown. in Figs. 2 and 3, bar 22 "is in the path of heel 13 carried by the train- I equipment, so that when this latter encounters this bar, the air-brakes of the train and I the signals on the engine are operated as before described. The connection of bar 22 to arm 23 is yielding as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, (back of cabroof,) springs 28 being used secured upon arm 23 and engaging links 24 which carry bar 22. These springs hold bar 22 in normal sition and return it also to such position a ter each contact with heel 13. In the modified arrangement shown in Fig. *1, heel 13 while being pulled rearwardly by contact withbar 22, is caused at the same time to drop also out of the path of said bar, so that an easy disenga ement of the parts takes place and a foreibl e impact is avoided. For such purpose rod 14 is extended rearwardly and downwardly as shown at 29 in Fig. 4, and a guide 31 is provided for this portion of the rod, so that said rod, instead of moving rmirwardly in a straight line, moves also downwardly, thereby carrying heel 13 with it and out of reach ol bar 2;. See dotted lines in this iigurc.

The manipulation. for swinging bar 22 into either one of its two positions )roceeds from rod 25 and may be manually i close to a station.

in cases where these track-devices are erected remote from stations. For such purpose a gear 32 is mounted u )on rod 25 and meshed with a worm 33 which is subject to rotation by a small electric motor 34. This latter is supported upon the lower one of brackets 26 which is sulliciently extended for the purpose. Wires 35 connect this motor with a source of current and also with a switch provided in a station.

It will now be seen that an operator at a station may readily manipulate these trackdevices from a distance and thereby control the movement of trains and stop or recall them if necessary.

The extent of action of the motor is so arranged as to limit the movement of arm 23 to the proper extent in either direction so that it merely moves from one of its extreme positions shown into the other one and back again. For the purpose of properly defining these two positions of the arm, steps 36 are provided and supported on the upper one of rackets 26. A brace 37 is arranged be tween the stops to hold them rigid.

In order to We the engineer also notice before-hand, w en possible, and to prepare him for the coming action, signals are combined with. the track-device which are rendered visible when this latter assumes op erative position. In day-time a semaphore 38 is used, which is supported between the upright links 24 on arm 23. At night a lamp 39 serves, which is supported upon a post 40. Normally this lamp is rendered invisible by a hood 41 fitted over it and connected to the lower end of rod 25 so as to turn with it. This hood has an opening 42 so located as to be directed toward the track when the track-devices are tive position as shown in Fi 2, thereby rendering the li ht visible to t e approaching engineer. his light may of course be also e ectrieally controlled, current being supplied b wires 43. This light-current is switche in by arm 23 which serves as a circuit-closer or switch when coming against contact pieces 44 provided on one of the stops 36. Inasmuch however as the track-devices (bar 22) act nevertheless upon heel 13 of the train-equipment, non-observance of these signals by the engineer by reason of inattention, or by reason of inabilit to see them, due to fog or darkness, e of no By preference honever it is clectrically which is most convement, especially in operaserious consequence, and the main object of the device \idll nevertheless be attained inde endent of these signals, or of any action by t is engineer.

The train-devices are restored to normal position by the engineer after every action upon them by the track-devices.

Having described my invention, I claim as new: o

1. In train controlling means,'the combination of a heel-member carried by a train in a position so as to be above the same, supported to have a sliding motion and adapted to be acted upon by a coinplementary, stationary track-device when this latter is ad usted to extend over the train, a valve controlling the operation of the air-bralre-outiit of the train ando )erative connection between this valve and t lie heelmember.

2. In train-controlling means, the combination of a heel-member carried by a train in a position so as to be above the same, means whereby it is supported in a manner to have a rear-wardly and downwardly directed motion when coming in contact with a complementary, stationary trackdevice when the same is adjusted to extend over the train, a valve controlling the operation of the air-brake-outfit of the train and operative connection between this valve and said heel member.

3. In train-controlling means, the combination of a heel-member carried by a train in a position so as to be above the same, supported to have a sliding motion and adapted to be acted upon by a com lementary, sta tionary track-device when t e same has been adjusted to extend over the train, a valve controlling the operation of the air-brakeoutfit of the train, a signal provided on this latter and operative connection between valve and signal and said heel-member whereby action on this latter by the complementary track-device causes also actuation of both valve and signal.

4. In train-controlling means, the combination of a heel-member carried by a train in a position so as to be above the same and supported. to be susceptible to action by a complementary, stationary track-device when the same extends into the path of this heel, a valve controlling the operation of the airbrake e uipment of the train, a signal-light carried 3y this latter and operative connec tion between valve and light and said heelmember whereby action on this latter by the complementary track-device causes also simultaneous actuation of both valve and light.

5. In train-controlling means, the combination of a bar adapted to act in conjunction with a complementary train-device, an arm on which it is horizontally sup orted in an elevated osition above the traefi, a rod from which this arm project s, bearings in which the rod is sup orted in an upright position beside a tracli and in a manner to be capable of rotation, a gear mounted on this rod, a worm in mesh with it and an electric motor to ro tate this worm so as to cause rotation of the upright rod with the arm thereon in a manner to swing the bar supported on this latter in a position either outside of the tracker so as to cause it to extend into the path of the complementary train-device.

6. In train-controlling means, the combination of an arm, a semaphore and a bar both supported by the former, said bar being adapted to act in conj unction with a complementary train-device, an upright rod on which this arm is supported in an elevated position adjacent to the track and means to rotate this rod with the arm so as to cause the semaphore and the bar su ported on this arm to assume a osition eit er outside of the track, or so t rat the bar extends into the path of the complementary train-device.

7. In train-controlling means, thecombination of an arm, a bar supported thereon and adapted to act in CODJUIlGtiOIl with a complementary train-device, an upri ht rod on which this arm is supported in an e evated position adjacent to the track, means to rotate this rod with the arm so as to cause the bar sup orted on this latter to assume a position on; er outside of the track or so as to extend into the path of the complementary train-device, a light and means controlled b the adjustment of the bar for rendering this light visible.

8. In train-controlling means,- the combination of an arm, a bar supported thereon and adapted to act in conjunction with a complementary train-device, an upright rod on which this arm is supported in an elevated position adjacent to the track, means to no tate this red with the arm so as to cause the bar sup orted on this latter to assume a position eit 181 outside of the track or so as to extend into the ath of the com lementary train-device, a light supported be ow this rod and a hood )rovided with an openi and actuated by t e rod to render said lig t visible or to obscure it.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. SCHLEE.

Witnesses: V

ANDRELW J. ENGLISH, G. SPENGEL. 

